Brachypelma vagans

Brachypelma vagans, females

( Rarely called " Black Red Tarantula " ) Brachypelma vagans is found in Mexico and Central America.

Appearance

The Black Red tarantula is to 8 cm tall (measured from the Beißklauen to the spinnerets ). Males are a little smaller and are on average 4 to 5 inches tall. She is jet black and has long red hair on the black opisthosoma. Likewise, the labium is red. It has on the opisthosoma stinging hairs that they can strip the event of danger or for additional protection of their cocoon with its hind legs. She looks albiceps similar to the carapace in the dyeing of related Brachypelma. However, this has a golden to brown carapace and a distinction can be so easy. B. vagans is available in two color variants. The first has a completely jet black Carpax. The second variant has a hem around the carapace from gelbraunen hair and therefore looks like the juvenile stages of both.

Distribution and habitat

This spider is found in southern Mexico and Guatemala. In Mexico, their area of Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco and extends to Veracruz and the Yucatán Peninsula.

In tropical evergreen broadleaf forests in the northern Yucatán and also the transition from the tropical deciduous forest to the spiny dry forest, this species occurs naturally. The species is also synanthropic, because they are often found in clearing bodies and rotting wood. In the state of Tabasco, they were found in large population under boulders in open and a working human terrain. Populations with many Individueen were discovered on pastures, orchards and lawns.

Lifestyle and behavior

Sexually mature males die six months after the maturity molt. A cocoon contains up to a maximum of 2000 eggs, an average of 500 eggs. The cubs leave the den in one or more columns and so probably later form colony -like groupings.

Use by humans

The poison of this Vogelspinnenart is explored to target the pharmaceutical and agricultural use.

For shamans of the Chol Indians Brachypelma vagans is crushed, mixed with 97 % alcohol and passed through cotton fabric, as drunk drug against the so-called disease " Air de tarantula " (Eng. " tarantulas air "), which for symptoms of severe cough, pain in the chest and burning abdominal pain is diagnosed. The Seven is likely to wash out the stinging hairs. The trunk is also sometimes taken several times by the patient.

Brachypelma vagans are sometimes kept as terrarium animals.